Wagner-O'Day Act Celebrates 75 Years!

Happy 75 years to all National Industries for the Blind affiliates and other Wagner-O'Day Act adherents!  Check out NIB's timeline of key milestones below to see how Mississippi Industries for the Blind and other agencies like MIB have gotten where they are today!

·         1930s: Leaders in the blindness community urge Congress to open up government markets to nonprofit agencies that produce products made by people who are blind.

·         1938: On June 25, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signs the Wagner-O’Day Act into law. Named after its co-sponsors, Senator Robert F. Wagner and Congresswoman Caroline O’Day, the Act directs government agencies to give priority, when purchasing products, to nonprofits that employ people who are blind.

·         1938: On August 10, NIB is incorporated as a 501(c)(3) private, nonprofit corporation by the community-based nonprofits participating in the program.

·         1952: NIB launches SKILCRAFT^®, a unifying brand name for quality products made by people who are blind.

·         1971: Senator Jacob K. Javits sponsors legislation adding the purchase of services and including agencies serving people with severe disabilities to the original Wagner-O’Day Act. The legislation becomes known as the Javits-Wagner-O’Day Act.

·         2007: The Committee for Purchase From People Who Are Blind or Severely Disabled changes the operating name of the program to the AbilityOne Program.

·         2013: The AbilityOne Program and NIB celebrate their 75 year anniversary.

Visit NIB’s 75th anniversary micro site for more historical milestones and events: www.NIB75Years.org.